We visited South Africa during a 3 months roadtrip through
southern Africa

(South Africa, Botswana,
Namibia, Lesotho and Swaziland).

October - December 2014.

Average Exchange rate: 1€ = 14 Rands

This park, Addo Elephant, is
famous because it´s near Port Elizabeth
(70 km), a big port with an airport and with the tourist Garden Route starting near, and
because, you can see the “big 5”. So expect
many tours, safari jeeps and buses. And it´s small. So quite busy park.

We were quite
disappointed with this park, with its landscape and the animals we saw.In our opinion, it can´t rival with Kruger
(and you are paying a similar price in Addo), Imfolozi - Hluhluwe or even the smaller Pilanesberg . But, it´s true that the park is easy to access, good for tourists with limited time and for those doing the main and classical South African tour from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth as it´s the southern game park you find in the country. That´s why it´s busy... and famous.

There´s are
3 different sections (that´s why the park seems big in extension when you read about its extension). The big
western part is only for 4x4 and the coastal one near Alexandria
(Woody Cape) has just normal game (not big). The main section of Addo where
all the tourists go is in fact quite small. It´s OK for a sedan car. It´s the
section we visited. Only the
main road in the northern part is tarred, most of the roads are gravel and can get very muddy if raining,
otherwise the gravel roads are fine with a sedan car.

As the park
is small, it´s easy to visit it in one day.

At the
reception, they give you a map (free). And don´t forget to check the spotting
map to have an idea where the animals can be.

Price for the entrance:216 R, included with the Wild Card. Gates:
the
main entrance is north of the park, on R335-R342 (around 70 km north of
Port Elizabeth). The main
camp it´s just close to the main gate.
There´s a secondary gate on the southern part of the park, just near N2,
in Colchester. Directly there´s only 40 km straight between gates (the park is really small).

There´s a
petrol station inside the park (like all the SAN parks) at the main camp.

We didn´t
see so many animals, maybe because the weather was not that good (one rainy and
one sunny days). Zebras, antilopes, buffalos, elephants (but no so many)… but
no lions neither leopards. Just luck like always.

Cheap Accommodation at the Addo Elephant Park.

Inside the park: The price campsite is 215 R/2p. You can check all the types on www.sanparks.org

Outside:
it´s cheaper as there are a couple of backpackers (campsite and dorm), just
around 10 km
south from the main gate, on the route R335:

Addo Town
is small, rural place, with many orange plantations and big townships (orange
workers). No supermarkets. You find everything needed in Colchester, Port Elizabeth or
Uitenhage.

Note:

- If visiting
the coastal section of Addo, Woody Cape, there´s a backpackers near the park
in Alexandria, Wild Woody Cape Backpackers (www.woodycape.co.za), with dorm and
campsite, but we did not go (cause of windy weather).